From Evening Echo on Monday 12th August 2024
White’s Cross have qualified for the quarter-finals of the AOS Security Seandún Junior A Football Championship after they defeated Nemo in their hard-fought encounter at Ballinlough. White’s Cross will meet defending champions Mayfield, while the Trábeg side will meet Brian Dillon’s in round 2. In a low-scoring opening half, White’s Cross restricted Nemo to three points. Nemo sought to rescue the game in the final quarter, as they were denied two goal-scoring opportunities by the White’s Cross defence. Conor Buckley opened the scoring after two minutes with a pointed free for White’s Cross, but Brian O’Connor responded with a point from play for Nemo.
White’s Cross continued to have their opponents pinned back as Rob Docherty tagged on a point from play. Wayward kick-outs were proving to be costly for Nemo as PJ O’Donovan drilled home a goal for White’s Cross from the edge of the square to give White’s Cross a 1-2 to 0-1 lead. Buckley tagged on a point for White’s Cross, before Aaron Browne and Eric Dilloughrey responded with a pointed free each for the Trábeg side. Buckley pointed his second free on the stroke of half-time as White’s Cross led 1-4 to 0-3 at the interval. Nemo upped the ante after the interval as Dilloughrey and Browne each slotted over frees, to reduce the margin to three. Docherty replied with his second point from play for White’s Cross, before the Nemo responded with unanswered points from play by Browne and Ruairí Hogan. Bryan O’Sullivan got a second goal for White’s Cross entering the final quarter. Tom Casey also added a point from play. Nemo had White’s Cross camped in their own half for most of the final quarter as they sought to rescue the game, but the White’s Cross defence held firm. Nemo added three unanswered points from play and a free by Browne with time at a premium.
Scorers for White’s Cross: L Kelleher, PJ O’Donovan 1-0 each; C Buckley 0-3 (0-2f); R Docherty 0-2; T Casey 0-1.
Nemo Rangers: A Browne 0-4 (0-3f); E Dilloughrey 0-2f; B O’Connor, R Hogan, C O’Brien, C O’Donovan, David Burke 0-1 each.
White’s Cross: R Teahan; S Ryan, B Prendergast, S Quinlan; S Whooley, G Fleming, Dylan Burke; E Coughlan, R Docherty; PJ O’Donovan, C Buckley, H Coughlan; T Casey, S Delaney, L Kelleher.
Subs: B O’Sullivan for L Kelleher (54).
Nemo Rangers: C Martin; D Egan, C Coughlan, C Casey; C O’Neill, R Shalloe, T O’Brien; F Twohig, B Murphy; A Browne, E Dilloughrey, D Kelly; C O’Brien, B O’Connor, R Hogan.
Subs: C O’Donovan for Kelly (h/t), S Nagle for Dilloughrey, David Burke for O’Connor (both 48), J Lyons for Hogan
(53).
Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).